
SUPPORT TEAM
GENITAL
WARTS
WE CARE WE FIGHT
Copyright © 2008 -
Glossary A-
Reproduction or republication strictly prohibited without prior written permission.




Useful Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
American Academy of Dermatology
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Article:
The market is inundated with various medical products that claim they can completely cure genital warts. Make no mistake; the “cure” they are claiming simply refers to the relief and eradication of the physical symptoms of genital warts. It will only destroy the genital warts that was brought about by the human papillomavirus (HPV) but not the virus itself. The HPV will continue to stay in the system as no cure has been discovered yet. Therefore, the best way to fight genital warts is to not have it in the first place.
1. Condoms
Condoms can be used as a protective shield to reduce the risk of exposure to HPV. However, it cannot be relied upon to totally screen out the virus since condoms do not cover the entire genital region completely. This means that a lot of skin in the genital region is still exposed to HPV infection even if the penile shaft is covered by a condom.
2. Immunization
Another method by which genital warts can be prevented is through immunization. At
the moment, this method applies only to women. Gardasil, the vaccine for the prevention
of cervical cancer and other HPV-
3. Prescription and Over-
There are various treatments that doctors prescribe to treat genital warts. These include imiquimod, pondofilox, and trichloracetic acid (TCA). These prescription treatments can only eliminate the genital warts but not the HPV that brought them about. It is highly advised that doctors or health workers apply the medications themselves to the patient’s warts because some of them have strong chemical content that can severely damage the genital region when used improperly.
There are also various over-
4. Medical Procedures
If these prescription treatments fail to do their job, a doctor can recommend some
medical procedures to remove genital warts like cryotherapy (freezing), electrocauterization
(burning), loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), carbon dioxide (CO2)
laser surgery and alpha-
5. Immune System
The human body reacts to HPV in different ways. Many individuals who get infected
with the virus will hardly notice any symptoms at all. Others may carry the infection
for years and not have any clue about it. HPV-
Medical experts from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and from the University of Washington suggest that human papillomavirus may in time be eliminated, if not altogether, in many individuals with strong immune systems. In some cases, however, the virus can remain in the system indefinitely and manifest some symptoms if the immune system falters.